Device for fixing antenna rods



Jan. 28, 1964 P. GREUET 3,119,633

DEVICE FOR FIXING ANTENNA RODS Filed Jan. 5. 1962 INVENTOR PIERRE GREUE T BY M AGEN

ited States Patent ()fifice Patented Jan. 28, 1964 This invention relates to clamping devices for fixing, in alignment, two antenna elements at right angles to a rodshaped or tubular support, more particularly for shortwave antennas.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive clamp for rapid mounting and easy dismounting of a pair of antenna elements in which it is possible to bring the antenna elements in a position parallel to and in engagement with the support for transit purposes.

The said clamping member comprises two clamping plates secured to the support one on each side thereof (front and back), each plate having an arcuate vault fitting round the support and an arcuate transverse vault at right angles to the first-mentioned vault and fitting round the antenna rods and each terminating in a flat extension contiguous to the ends of the transverse vault and each provided with a slot extending in the axial direction of the last-named vault. A transverse bolt is provided in each facing pair of slots and a transverse bore in one end of each antenna element, which end is passed between two of the said extension, the arrangement being such that the antenna elements may be fixed at their ends in the arcuate transverse vaults with the aid of the bolts to occupy their operating positions, but may also be pulled out of the transverse vaults and brought into positions parallel to the support by turning them about the corresponding transverse bolt between the mutually parallel extensions.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect it will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the clamping device for fixing the two antenna rods on their support.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the clamping device.

The support on which the antenna rods are fixed is designated En in FIGURES 1 and 2. The antenna element to be mounted, for example a reflector, comprises two aligned antenna elements B and B In the operating position, that is to say when the antenna has been mounted for operation, the ends of the antenna rods B and B are located in arcuate transverse vaults of a clamping member comprising two elongated plates PI and PS. The cenrtal portion of each plate is vaulted so as to fit on the main support En. An aperture with a pressed-through bush GI and GS respectively is formed centrally in each of the plates PI and PS. These bushes engage in bores provided at the periphery of the tubular support, thus permitting the assembly to be correctly centered with respect to support En.

Each clamping plate thus has a central portion provided with an arcuate vault in the direction of the support and a transverse vault to receive an antenna element. Two flat extensions, each provided with a slotted hole b and b respectively (see FIG. 2) are contiguous to the ends of the transverse vault.

The antenna rods B and B are held in position by the clamping parts PI and PS with the aid of threaded bolts V and V completely passed through them. Each bolt is also passed through two facing slots in the plates PI and PS respectively, in order to ensure that the corresponding antenna rod and at the same time the two plates PI and PS of the assembly are held in position with the aid of a winged nut and a washer. Each bolt is long enough to receive a locking ring forced on its end to prevent the assembly from falling apart.

For transit of the antena and for reducing its volume to the size of the antenna support, the antenna rods B and B are moved away from the main support after unscrewing the bolts V and V whereupon the rods are turned down about the axes of the bolts so as to occupy positions parallel to the support En. The position then occupied by the antenna rods is indiciated by a dot-anddash line (in FIG. 2 only). Subsequently the rods are moved again towards the support until they engage in the vaulted parts forming the junction between the flat portions of the clamping plates and the portions provided with transverse vaults.

When the parts of the antenna and the support for the antenna rods have been folded up in the manner described, the antenna assembly has a length equal to that of the of the support and a greatly reduced width.

What is claimed is:

A clamping device for fixing two antenna elements in operating position at right angles to a support means for a clamping member, characterized in that the clamping member comprises two clamping plates secured to said support one on each side thereof, each said plate having an arcuate vault fitting round the support and an arcuate transverse vault at right angles to said first-mentioned vault and fitting round the antenna elements, each said plate having two flat extensions contiguous to the ends of the transverse vault and each of said plates having a slot extending in the axial direction of said transverse vault, a bolt in each facing pair of slots and a transverse bore in one end of each said antenna element whereby the antenna elements may be fixed at their ends in the said transverse vaults by said bolts to occupy their operating positions, but may also be pulled out of the transverse vaults and brought into positions parallel to the said support means by turning the antenna elements about the corresponding bolt between the mutually parallel extensions of said plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,408,906 Peterke Mar. 7, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS 423,146 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1935 

